Speaker Jones wants to examine Medicaid reform

Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones formally announced the creation yesterday of two interim committees that will look at ways to reform the state’s Medicaid system.

One committee will have House members and selected citizens team up to research ways to improve Medicaid. They will then hand off their findings to the other committee, which will make recommendations for next year’s legislative session. Jones said they’re taking a thorough approach to fixing a broken system.

“Medicaid [and] Social Services take up a third of our state’s budget," he said. "I think it’s wise to have more eyes and hands working on the issue, and more diverse interests across the state rather than less.”

Meanwhile, the Missouri Senate has also formed an interim committee to examine Medicaid, and a bill awaiting Governor Jay Nixon’s signature would give him the authority to appoint a joint Medicaid committee made up of both House and Senate members.